How do you find the strength to pull through?

You visit a particular forum and instantly everyone pounces on you. Making comments about your business and you personally.

How do you all overcome this? Have faith in your product? You can end up losing customers just because everyone tears you down.

Reason why I ask is this has just happened to me.

Would be interested to hear how others would react :)

It's not just about having faith in your product. Sometimes there's wisdom in what's hurled at you. For example, maybe you don't have a well developed plan or your business is designed poorly. It's not always a good idea to fly by the seat of your pants.

Some people are just jerks or tired. I know I've given some people more mixed words than they deserve and in general if someone is willing to put in some effort I'll help them but if the opposite is true let the hurtful words fly.

Finally, business can be ugly. There are good times and there are bad times. If you haven't the willpower and the stomach for it. Perhaps you should give up now before it drains you more financially, and psychologically.

Depends if it was a genuine grievance or not, at the end of the day we are all human and it can either make you angry or upset to see someone having a go at your business.

For me i go outside and get some fresh air, then i decide whether the post warrants a reply or not, sometimes idiots just want to drag you into an arguement.

The best thing is to not post while angry. Like n3tw0rk5 said, take a break and come back. Since your represent your company, you want to be calm and diplomatic. Try to find a resolution, not perpetuate the argument. If you post in the heat of the moment, you could say some thing that you'll regret and it could damage your business image.

Sometimes it takes tough skin, though just know you can't please everyone and some people just like looking for a fight. They can never be pleased and do what you can to end it and let them move on.

Sometimes it takes tough skin, though just know you can't please everyone and some people just like looking for a fight. They can never be pleased and do what you can to end it and let them move on.

Well said. I agree that if you gave them everything you could and went an extra mile then chances are they will soon learn for themselves to appreciate this.

I recommend you don't dwell on it though, as I have also experienced this recently when a different provider tried to cause an argument and included self promotion - eventually I simply left it. He did not have any self control and kept on promoting his company in an irrelevant topic and in the process making himself look like a fool.

Head up - you won't see these guys at the top for a while until they tumble and learn :)

You have to remember it's your reputation so if you want to have a good one then remember to keep calm and don't send a rude feeling to the person your communicating with, especially on a public forum.

One of the obvious, you started a business and you should always expect feedback, you just have to remember that it's part of running a business. It also helps in developing skills to better handle future situations if they arise.

Thanks for the advice all. I am not going to dwell on it and will focus on running my business as best I can :)

I don't get angry often but this got under my skin. I'm glad I didn't vent in public!

You just have to take the blows as they come in. Chances are you have some friends in the industry that are willing to back your reputation on the forums. Sometimes when you show that you can take the blows and respond to even the most annoying customers in a professional manner (and even have competitors backing you), the threads end up benefiting your business rather than having a negative effect (funny how that works).

Every business as stated earlier will have ups and downs. What best way for me to overcome things is to look at what is down the road not what is happening especially if you are the one managing your business. There will always be bumps along that road, you will be fine keep your head up. Go outside and get some air, and do not respond back in frustration or while being upset. You showing your control speaks louders then words. ;)

Every business has its share of disgruntled customers.

Like LaneHost said, when you respond to such customers, try to do it with a level head. Otherwise, it can make you look just as bad.

The worst are the customers who post the same same story on 20+ forums.

Agreed with everything that was posted above.

Take a step back and read what was said, and see if you can get anything out of it.

Did you make a legitimate mistake?
Talk to the customer and see what you can do to make it right. Everyone here has made a mistake in business, and will inevitably make another. All you can do is keep your head up and do what's right for both you and the customer.

Are they putting down your business for no apparent reason?
If so...be careful with your replies in public forums. I'd say post a short reply stating some of the facts, and ask them to contact you privately if they want to continue the conversation. If you argue, or keep the post alive, you're probably going to get more bad out of it than if you were to just say how it is, and let the thread drop.

There is much sound advise, given here.
I always (try to) remember that I have 2 ears but only one mouth.
It's twice as important to leasten as it is to 'talk'.
Also sometimes 'others' are not actualy saying what you are hearing, if you know what I mean. There are times when people are harsh, but they do not always mean to be.
Stay calm.

Always be positive. Remember is people start talking about you or your business means you are growing. Take into consideration all negative point and try to improve it. Their is always some room to improve :). If you think some one is saying useless just ignore it, let dogs shout, we will move ahead to reach our goal.

Be calm, positive and go out and get some non-pc related work done . Go order Pizza (seriously!) and switch of your pc . Come back to work later and try to see if you can work things out and get back on track.

Ive just got rid of a really annoying customer, I felt like telling them to f*** off but we cant in this industry as you have to be polite to customers.

If they go trolling you just give 1 reply and explain the sitation and what you did then leave it at that.

If they blame you for problems caused them selves then they shouldnt tear you apart and down.

Just pick yourself up and carry on and dont talk with or make contact with the annoying customer again

It was a client. Just more of a mob. They've stopped posting now (as soon as I did).

Funny.. these people are made to be ignored.

How do you find the strength to pull through?

You visit a particular forum and instantly everyone pounces on you. Making comments about your business and you personally.

How do you all overcome this? Have faith in your product? You can end up losing customers just because everyone tears you down.

Reason why I ask is this has just happened to me.

Would be interested to hear how others would react :)

I get pounced on plenty here at WHT because of many things. People come up with these rediculous excuses for doing it, but I know that it is because of my age. However, I have learned to live with it. They don't know me, they don't know how I run my business. They can say nothing that bothers me.

The world is full of opportunists and jerks. No matter what you do, you will eventually have to deal with them. What is important is that you don't let their shenanigans determine your self worth. People will pounce on you because they have issues and they build themselves up by beating others down. Brush them off, learn what you can from it, and move forward in your life and your business.

Bad people will move on in search of other victims when you stop feeding their egos. The best way to do that is to practice de-escalation. You can't win arguments with crazy people anyway. Just don't give them anything to work with. The more you argue with them, the more you just fuel their fire.

Long time since I posted :)


Remove yourself totally emotionally from these situations, as difficult as it may be. And let's face it, at times its near impossible.

Recently we were slagged off big time on a big forum. There was stuff, we hadn't neccessarily being doing wrong, but could improve very marginally. Allbeit very maginally, we took it onboard.

Then there was those that just jumped in...because we are one of the two leading providers in the UK in what we do. The minute you do well for yourself, people want to shoot you. There were those just asking stuff up about us, or completely stretching the truth. It was almost a witch hunt against a big brand. Only we aren't no huge billion dollar company.

Don't take it personally.

If you are smart, talk to them. Let them show themselves to be idiots. Wind their claims out.

If you'd done something wrong. Admit it. Open up. Say you are sorry. Say you will improve.

As lots of people have said, if you can't take it, you are in the wrong business.

As someone who has always quite literally hit out, at anyone that would in the past try and knock me down, business has been a massive, and positive learning curb for me over the last 7 years.

It's taught me great skills in removing myself emotionally, and thinking, "What's the best resolution to this issue".

At the end of the day, you'll go much further than them. Don't let them beat you.

Illegitimi non carborundum

I'd also like to add that should it be a competitor or someone you know to have a link with a competitor take it with a pinch of salt.

The old saying "Jealousy makes you nasty" rings home in these instances and shows they are worried about your business. They could even be getting desperate ;)

Do the math, how many out of how many are tearing you down? if its a few out of a few hundred, well thats just people and you can discount them but never forget they may have a point and if they do, well learn from it.

If you're trying your best doing the best for your customers, believe in your product and they up and leave and call you a sofab, it hurts, it should hurt and when it stops hurting go do something else because thats when you stop caring and thats when you'll start letting the people down that pay your mortgage.

On the other hand of course they could just be loud mouthed tossers who given a megaphone would rubbish the pope, apple pie and mom and have their own agenda and nothing you say will make it any better - your better off without them. Chin up, keep smiling and be very very nice to the next person who calls, do something extra for them, you'll feel a whole heap better for it and you'll make a friend.